Om the Slopes

After last year’s dearth of good snow, skiers and snowboarders are raring to go this season — but before you speed up the hill and down those slopes, slow down and breathe deeply with another installment of Snow Salutes, a yoga practice built for skiers and snowboarders.

“I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s an obvious connection — yoga and being up on the mountain, and being really present in that moment when you’re coming down the mountain and how beautiful it all is,” says Erin Hardy, Yoga Mat owner and the organizer of Snow Salutes. This year, Snow Salutes is staying closer to home instead of rolling into a weekend of stretching and snowsports, so today’s workshop will give you everything you need for the upcoming winter season. “Why not learn all these poses before you go up so you can use these skills all season long?” Hardy says. “We’ll go over what you should do pre- and post-skiing and snowboarding first, then we’ll go over what you would do to train. I’ll show a couple of different flows for each section and explain why we’re doing it that way. There’s also a handout so people can remember.”